A purely selfish post

I am working on my website tonight and trying to add fresh content. Not always as easy as it sounds. Anyway, I am getting ready to start on my "Our Story" page and I can't bring myself to delete the current page. Sometimes I read it just to see how far Katie and I have traveled down this ribbon covered road! It makes me appreciate what we have now to see it in print. It also makes me hopeful that some of those old coots on the board of directors will see it and be overcome with guilt for kicking the life out of me while I was already down!
Can I hold a grudge or what? LOL
The truth is that I don't really hold a grudge. The heartless so and so's actually did me a favor! I just didn't realize it at the time. Funny how life works out that way. Ya know?
Seriously, You can take the lemons life throws at you and use them to become a sour puss or you can take them and make lemonade. I choose the latter :}
And when I have to console myself, I do so by knowing in my heart that what goes around comes around!! :} It does, honest!


Anyway, I am copying and pasting the current "Our Story" page below so that when I want to read it in the future I will know where to find it! A purely selfish post, I know...but I really want to keep it out there so that I can read it when I need it! :}

Our Story...



History


In 1998, Picture Perfect Hair Bows founder, Carla Smith, was looking forward to the arrival of her first child. She was working as the Vice President of a local Credit Union and was excited about being able to stay at home with her baby for 6-8 weeks before returning to her job. Her anticipation was great as she entered her 28th week of pregnancy. Three days later the unspeakable happened. Carla's daughter, Katie, was born too small and too soon. At 28 ½ weeks, her baby weighed 1 pound 15 ounces. "I had no idea that it was possible to be overwhelmed with joy and overcome with grief all in the same moment."

Carla had discovered what an alarming number of women have been discovering over the past two decades. Premature birth is a widespread and serious problem. "I applaud the efforts of the March of Dimes for their determination to slow down the growing number of premature births through research and education."

As Katie began her long and complicated journey toward good health, Carla found herself faced with having to choose between her job and her role as Katie's mom. "Actually, there was no choice to be made. There was only a desk that had to be cleaned out. It was a defining moment in our lives."

Carla discovered Ebay during Katie's first year home from the hospital. "We were basically confined to our home so that my daughter could be kept relatively 'germ free'. Ebay was a dream come true for someone as starved for shopping as I was!" It wasn't long before Carla realized that she could support her buying habits by selling the items that Katie had outgrown. One set of auctions in particular, created a stir among Carla's customers. She had listed Katie's used hair bows and inadvertently tapped into a market that she didn't know existed. She searched everywhere for a hair bow supplier but her efforts went unrewarded. Being the strong-minded and even stronger willed person that she is, Carla began teaching herself how to make bows by taking apart store bought bows and re-creating them. The bows were an instant success on Ebay and Carla had discovered her niche.

Over the last several years, Carla has transformed Picture Perfect Hair Bows from a kitchen table business into a leading manufacturing company. The demand for the bows that she was creating made it impossible for her to continue making every bow herself. She began searching once again for a supplier. This time her efforts were fruitful. She developed a manufacturing partnership. What began as a hobby is now a full time business that employs numerous work-at-home moms. Picture Perfect Hair Bows strongly supports the cottage industry and is proud to state that all of their products are made in the USA using only the highest quality materials available. "Helping other moms stay at home with their children is very dear to my heart. My greatest joy in life is my daughter and I wouldn't have missed this for the world!"

Picture Perfect Hair Bows sells its products to individuals, apparel manufacturers and high end boutiques worldwide. Ebay no longer plays a significant role in their sales, having been replaced by the company website.



Future Goals

As we move forward, Picture Perfect Hair Bows is determined to continue offering trendy and unique products, while maintaining the demand for our basics.
We look forward to serving you!


Our Commitment to You


Picture Perfect Hair Bows has one goal in mind, and that is to bring our customers an awesome selection of high quality and unique accessories at affordable prices!
We stand behind the workmanship of our products 100%.
We are committed to offering excellent customer service, and we welcome your questions!

This year at a glance

Well, shoot...I don't know where the time has gone. Six months since I lasted posted. I feel such shame! If there is a "worst blogger ever" award I am sure to qualify. It's just plain sad!
Okay, 6 months of catching up to do...I can do this....maybe...

In January, we had the pleasure of taking our business, Picture Perfect Hair Bows, to Hollywood again. We had so much fun participating in the pre Golden Globe gifting suite that was sponsored by Jayneoni Moore. This was our second time so it wasn't as scary or intimidating as it was in '06. At least this time I didn't lock the keys in the car. I simply handed them over to the valet guy at the Century Plaza Hotel, took my receipt and then stood there horified a little while later as the head valet guy assured me that they did NOT have my car !! My rental that still contained all of our bows and our clothes! As I stood there clutching the parking stub in my sweaty hand and refusing to let them take it from me, I began second guessing myself and wondering if I had gifted some lucky thief with a brand new car and a life time supply of hair bows! Thankfully, they found it a short while later. It just seemed like it took days! LOL To their credit, they were very apologetic and the rest of our stay went off without a hitch!
The highlight of the trip for me was meeting Joely Fisher. Not one to be star struck, I was a little surprised to find that my tongue had been super glued to the roof of my mouth and that all I could do is stand there smiling like a cheshire cat!
Can you say total DORK!! LOL

There was a really big turn out of celebrities this year and to be honest, I knew more of them by sight than I did by name! Told you, I am not the celeb type! LOL
I did recognize Sherri Shephard, Carnie Wilson and Angela Bassett, though :}
We did things a little differently this year, too. Instead of having gift bags prepared ahead of time, we took a huge variety of items and just let folks take what they wanted. I had some preconceived ideas about what would go first but I was dead wrong! Everything went at the same speed and all of it went! We came home with 3 headbands and maybe a dozen or so bows.

It was pretty exciting to get so much feedback at one time. Our trip was so well worth it! The worst part is having to leave Katie at home because of school. I would really like to take her with me one of these days!
The best part of the trip for me was discovering this Italian resturant on a side street off of Sunset Blvd. It was like discovering a jewel. We had the BEST waiter EVER! He was funny and so great! This guy had personality coming out of his ears! LOL One minute, he is filling our tea glasses and the next, he is standing beside the piano singing his heart out! I nearly choked on a noodle! If you are ever in the area, you MUST go to Miceli's ! The food is Old World Italian and the atmosphere is to die for! I tried to talk my friend Beth into flying to LA for the weekend just to eat there! She looked at me like I had lost my mind and I cowardly let the subject drop. Beth is the more grounded of the two of us in case you are wondering! I would hop a plane in a heartbeat to do it! I should have asked my friend Cathy. She would do it...hmmmm
Well, that brings us up to mid January...what else has happened?? I had the unexpected pleasure of a torn rotator cuff. That was fun...um, NOT!! I still cringe when I think about the needle that my wonderful Dr. put in my shoulder and let come out of the end of my finger. Okay, it just felt that way but "whew", I do not want to do that again!

My baby turned 9 in March and passed third grade with flying colors! She was the kid that you love to hate on awards day. The one that just keeps getting called back up to the stage for yet ANOTHER certificate. I thought I would burst with pride!! My former 1 pound 15 ounce preemie is taking the world by storm and I am so proud of her! Words can not express how grateful I am that she has just exceeded all of my expectations since her early arrival. If it seems like I am boasting it is because I am. I know how easily our fate could have shifted the other way and I am just so thankful for all that we are blessed with! :}

Every year from March 5th until June 2nd...the day she was born until the day she came home....I experience what can only be described as post traumatic stress. There is a feeling of being out of control, knowing you are falling and just bracing yourself for the impact that never comes. It sounds so stupid, but every year those feelings return and I relive the nightmare for three months. I keep thinking that I will hit google and see if there are other mom's out there who experience the same thing but I never do. Too afraid I will discover that I am the only one and then what does that mean? LOL Instead, I choose to see the bright side. It actually gives me a chance to become grateful all over again, annually! It allows me to reflect on how far we have come and to plan for our future with the same freshness and determination that I had 9 years ago. At this rate, I will never take any of it for granted and that is a good thing! The funny thing is that June 2nd is actually my birthday, so we kind of celebrate it as Katie's coming home day, too. This year I turned....I can't even say it....um....for....um...ahem....thirty nine and holding! Yep, that is me!!

Most recently, my adorable nephew came to visit us for a couple of weeks. He lives in Ohio and it is always a treat to have him here. At four years old, he is just an amazing kid. He and Katie and their other cousins had a blast! We took them all to Myrtle Beach for the weekend. We arrived really late because we didn't leave until after vacation Bible school was over. My impulsive side took over and we had 4 kids out on the beach in front of our hotel at 3:30 am !
After the long car ride I thought we would all walk around for 15 minutes, stretch our legs and then go back inside and fall immediately asleep. What am I, 12? It was a crazy idea! Took me 2 hours to get them back inside and showered, but only minutes for them to fall asleep! :} But for my friends who say I take life too seriously....you would have been proud!! One thing is for sure, the kids won't forget about it any time soon!They still can't believe I suggested it! Frankly, neither can I, but shhhh...don't tell them! :}

It was a great trip and one that I will cherish for many years to come. I couldn't help but remember how my grandmother and my aunt Pat used to take us to the beach when I was a child. I still remember those times with fondness.
We were all sad when Logan had to return home, but are looking forward to him coming back at Christmas with his parents and a new baby brother or sister! Life is good....


Well, there it is... '07 at a glance! I will try to do better moving forward! :}